Evaluative reactions to minority languages and their varieties: Evidence from new speakers of West Frisian

TY - JOUR

T1 - Evaluative reactions to minority languages and their varieties: Evidence from new speakers of West Frisian

AU - Kircher, Ruth

AU - Kutlu, Ethan

AU - Vellinga, Mirjam

PY - 2025/4

Y1 - 2025/4

N2 - Little is known about the connection between individuals’ evaluative reactions to (i) minority languages as such, and (ii) specific varieties of these minority languages. This study investigates such evaluative reactions amongst new speakers of Frisian in the Netherlands (n = 264). A questionnaire was used to elicit participants’ attitudes towards the Frisian language and their evaluations of the specific variety of Frisian they were taught. The results reveal a significant correlation between participants’ status-related attitudes towards Frisian and their anonymity-related evaluations of the variety they were taught—as well as between participants’ solidarity-related attitudes towards Frisian and their authenticity-related evaluations of the variety they were taught. The former are close to neutral; the latter are mildly positive. The article discusses how these results not only advance our general understanding of language in society, but also facilitate the development of more comprehensive science communication to inform revitalisation strategies in minority contexts. (Language attitudes, language ideologies, minority languages, language planning, language revitalisation, language transmission, new speakers)

AB - Little is known about the connection between individuals’ evaluative reactions to (i) minority languages as such, and (ii) specific varieties of these minority languages. This study investigates such evaluative reactions amongst new speakers of Frisian in the Netherlands (n = 264). A questionnaire was used to elicit participants’ attitudes towards the Frisian language and their evaluations of the specific variety of Frisian they were taught. The results reveal a significant correlation between participants’ status-related attitudes towards Frisian and their anonymity-related evaluations of the variety they were taught—as well as between participants’ solidarity-related attitudes towards Frisian and their authenticity-related evaluations of the variety they were taught. The former are close to neutral; the latter are mildly positive. The article discusses how these results not only advance our general understanding of language in society, but also facilitate the development of more comprehensive science communication to inform revitalisation strategies in minority contexts. (Language attitudes, language ideologies, minority languages, language planning, language revitalisation, language transmission, new speakers)

KW - language attitudes

KW - language ideologies

KW - minority languages

KW - language planning

KW - revitalisation

KW - language transmission

KW - new speakers

U2 - 10.1017/S0047404523000805

DO - 10.1017/S0047404523000805

M3 - Article

SN - 0047-4045

VL - 54

SP - 1

EP - 27

JO - Language in Society

JF - Language in Society

IS - 2

ER -